Orthodontic device



Aug. 29, 1950 A. w. MULLER ORTHODONTIC DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 14, 1949 IN V EN TOR.

Aug. 29, 1950 A. w. MULLER 2,520,773

ORTHODONTIC DWICE Filed July 14, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITED 2,520,?! 3 ORTHODONTIC DEVICE Adolf Wilhelm Miiller, Sulzbach, Germany Application July 14, 1949, Serial No. 104,715 In France August 13, 1948 12 Claims. 1

The invention relates to an orthodontic appliance particularly for use in connection with the mouth organs of infants.

The devices hitherto used for this purpose are not efficient because they do not sufficiently consider the typical suckin instinct of the infant.

The customary milk nipples, which are readily accepted by infants as an appliance to satisfy their sucking desire have an injurious influence on the morphologic formation of the jaw and cause articulation disturbances resulting in a vertical deflection of the bite. Moreover, occlusion disturbances including considerable sagittal anomalies such as prognatism and distal bite may result from the excessive useof the customary finger-shaped milk nipples. Still more dangerous is the intensive inclination of theinfant to suck on its fingers. I

It is the primary object of this invention to utilize the typical sucking impetus of the infant for an orthodontic treatment and for the manipulation of the mouth organs, particularly the jaws and lips and for the exclusion of the disadvantages arising from the sucking on the fingers.

It is also an object of the invention to vary the applicability of this treatment and touse-it in conformity with its special characteristics for the orthodontic treatment of both the jaws and the lips of infants or either of them.

The customary milk nipples do not provide the slightest guarantee that they are properly lo- I cated within and held in the mouth and particularly by the jaws and the lips of the infant;

flows continuously and uniformly fromthe bottle and the infant is not forced to use the. organs of its mouth in order to force the outflow of milk. The operationof these nipples is therefore, very different from the natural nursing. art which is based on a tWO-StBP'hCbiOIl, namely sucking and biting. v, M

It is therefore a further object of this invention to eliminate the hitherto customarycontinuous milk supply through nipples and to replace the same by a two-step milk feeding procedure in conformity with the above-given explanation. With these and additional objects in view which will become apparent, as this description proceeds the invention comprises in its broad aspect an orthodontic device to be introduced 5 into the mouth of an infant having the shape 7 of a small bag which is provided at its inner or mouth entering end with a milk supplying nozzle or orifice and at the opposite end with aconverging wall, which borders the jaws; this wall extends into a short fiat bite portion encasing a fiat passage which portion borders the jaw ridges and this bite portion transits into a cir- 5 -cular=expanding lip bordering member.

The device may be provided with a tubular attachment for connection with the neck of a milk bottle.

A continuous milk supply by sucking is excluded by the use of this device; upon an attempt by the infant in this direction the lips and the jaws produce a pressure acting on the short bite portion enclosing the fiat milk supply passage which therefore would be closed immediately. Only by an intermittent biting and sucking step can the milk be transported from the bottle into the baglet and from there into the mouth of the infant. It is the swallowing action of the infant accompanied by a dropping of the lower jaw and a withdrawal of the tongue which makes the milk flow into the bag through the above-mentioned flat passage; due to the very small cross section of the outlet nozzle a vacuum results in the mouth into which the bag expands during the forced biting action. In this manner, the natural nursin procedure is reconstructed and the basis created for satisfactory orthodontic influence on the jaws.

In order to further increase the operational analogy of this device with the natural nursin arta rubber sponge conforming to the shape of the baglet may be inserted into the latter. This insert assists in assimilating the action of the instant device to thatof a womans breast nipple.

It has been found advisable to stiffen the lower jaw bordering converging portion of the device in order to prevent the'bag from being compressed during the biting action of the infant as hereby the injurious distal bite may result.

To prevent the return flow of the. milk into the bottle in those cases 'wherethe infant does not exert a suflicient biting force a valve may be located at the milk inflow portion in the bag. The device also furthers nose breathing and accordingly assists in the development of the breathing organs, nose and throat by the introduction of, preheated air into the lungs; it avoids. the swallowing of air and may, therefore, during the night, also be useful for older children. t

The invention is by way of example illustrate in the accompanying drawings; i

In the drawings: e

Fig. 1 is a front view 'of the orthodontic device 55 forming the subject matter of this invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on line A-B of Fig. 1 the device bordering elements of the mouth of the infant being schematically shown,

Fig. 3 is partly a top plan and partly a vertical section on line C-D of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on line E-F of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5jiillustrates theeapplication ofithe instant device? to a tubular article,

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view on line G--H of Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view similar .to

that of Fig. 2 of a further embodiment of my device and Fig. 8 is a top plan view of .the-.article.shown in Fig. '7.

taneous opening of the jaw bordering portions the passage I9 is opened and the milk will enter the baglet 3. The here described two-step drinking process corresponds to the natural nursing act.

5 .Aneairi-inlet -valve Fig.2:2, :is applied to the "device. The latter, may, as such be used as a nipple for which purpose it is pulled with its ttubular extension I over a grooved hollow body 10 .23,\made-for instance, from plastics, and fixed on the same by the band IT. A ring 24 is provided tto.separate1the.hollow body 23 from the device. The Joag .3 can be easily cleaned first at the out- "si'de"aridzthen' byturning the same inside out at The orthodontic device shown in Figs. 1-75 "T5 'theinside.

of the drawings has a tubular attachmen-t 'sleeve I which is inwardly ribbed and adapted to be zapplized twine outwardlyrribbedwneckd ci ar-milk ;,bottle. The device =Tconsists ;mainly -.of aa qh r 'let -:.3 at :the 'l-eftxend, which. is the -.inner.,or :mouth inserting end :of -:this :;baglet ::.a nozzle '4 provided, Figs. #1, ewh-ichihasz-such-a :small cross asecti'onal area that'-the.'mi-ik:will netqvoluntarily 101' without {pressure :cfiow from the :'.bag (.3. .iIhe bag converges at the opposite end ,into ea uwall -1compcsed=1of -the; lower portion 1.! .and the upper mention r8, :whi-ch :jin zthe -;operative position .01" athegdevicet borders the ,l'owergiawfi andtthe, upper :ziatv. 6 pi thezinfant. {the "wall 1 x8 transits into .avdiorthorizentalifiat portion l H, L2 route which the iinfant Lbi-tes; sthis iportion enc-leses .-.an inner :fiatspassage2ls9,Z:Fig.-\4. .Themite portion l, 42 aexpands into an :cutflaring Ibody 4:5, .tfiwvhieh :isaisorderedfoy the :iips 1:3, Maof itheiinfant; nthis izoutfzaring aconioal :ioody carries .at fits end "the mibuiaraattaching sleeve 2].

' ZEhe mlevice [may :attached with =:the zsleeve .honto [the upperrendjflcofzagmilkbottle. iltris rthemplace'd with tthernozzleliend into vthe smouth 17f "the infant :and will border vvzi-th its ;.portions zil tlrthezjaws E556; this'porticn 1: 8 wilLtthere- :fzore, rextenn "within ithe meach 50f 1th? palatmn mlunum Eand the :iingnal martdibuzla *up eto zthe 'iawrr'idges i9,:w,;:see fl'heznormalvartinnlation is securedrby-rthezdaite sporti'omt l i lflawhidh .rea"ches tap .to thesmilk: molars; propermooperaztien-sof :the iiips t3, Miis securediby 'the mrtflarling portion 5, .26 eandritsi positional,rrelationship ttoitherpor-tions 1 ,saan'd 1:1,; k2.

. 'iBy: aschmgezo'f theiposition of theeattachrnent stubs I won :the meek 22 :of :the izbottie ithe iiistance ricetween portion i1 t8 sand tthe ifront spar-t not '1 the dip rbonderin :porticn 2 (:5, i 6 :may zine war-red.

JIn .this zmanrter :a mode f eadaptation :i's ses- -tablishe'dtto sagittalzdiiferences. Theiproperai-istar'ree rmay he obtained idoy 'I-ttie attachment fflf z a :*band i H to theibottlenecklto beffixedrbyzaiscrew miiniitsrprepercposition.

'5 nfitheposition of -the devicesshownrinzFigJZ ea biting ar-id sucking aetionifloy 'zthe iiri'fant iis ase- "eured because in order to snckttl-rermiikifmmtthe *are pressedpnto the bite portion t l lltwhereby theqaassa'ge I G is" compressed. 'mherbitingmtepiis :necessitate'cl 'by the very :small across ssection nf :the nozzle 4 ithe izbaby rmust :bite in order :to

force the milk to flow through this nozzle. rBnring :theIJeitingand sucldng=.-;steps':thez-lnwer;daw is retracted and the'stongne izhadvanced; thereby the lower jaw 5 borderingzrgortionz'l aandijthe ztongueizflmonder'ingcportionlkz l tare: removed T1818.-

tive ito ve'achiother; the space between -.the two :is reduced and Z the .milkzforcedifrom the baglet -13. *DuringQthe subseduentsswal lowing a vacuum will be produced in the mouth, since by the simulmibetter adjustment of the sagittal distance of my combined orthodontic and nipple device may .be effectedrby. making the :lip bordering portion 4,5, l-6,:.;a..separate body, .-whichLmay-.be slideover a sagittal extension. of partof .the b-itingflpostion I, .12; this =.body z-iS .fixed eat a desired. distance from :bag .13; .the .sucking out of -.thecontents of {the .milk :bottle is prevented by the compression .of thebite-portion HA2.

A\ further modification of my invention is: illustrated vin- Figs. 7,8 it has tthe advantagenofr exact adjustment and adaptability .to the sshapetof athe ,jaws.

Thebaglet -25 is provided with -.a 1tubular- -e xtension .26 .which reaches over the air intake tube .2 8 the. latter being ,provided with -.a.- mouthpiece .29 and .valve -30. .The ltube 2 6 .is hereby extended and operatively connected with slide 3 i which represents the bordering portions32rfor 'the upper lip and 33 for thelowerdip. Thebi-te ,portion.is=.divided into twolateralsections 31, .38 and .a frontal section .36 .by the .wedgeeshaped ..recesses..3'4, .35. The nozzle L25 is .di'videdbya .slotte'd recess .i39.in twoflhalves 14!), ..4I. The-Mall 40 thickness of 'theibaglet is reduced .towards .the slot"139, .-whereupon contact may .be ma'delbetween .the' baglet .walls if Lthe same is pufie'deup. .-'Also :the walLin'the vicinity of .the' bit.portion.31,- 38 jis thinned-down so. thatlthoseparts-.may'zlaterally expand; "this .is from an orthodontic viewpoint important as "hereby an exactly controllable lateral extension maybe exerted on the '.jaws whereby" the ',j aws orltheir', ridges will retainltheir usual'bitingarea, as thefla'tter'may follow the lateral expansion without an increase of "their "thickness.

.The air1inlet'tube.21,.j28 isrprovided witha ring '32, whichmay .be turned down in .order Ito" blow d p. thelbag'ii. :Ifthe, bag. is blown-up too. much. a .flap '30.- is.,provide'd "forithe escape .of surplus .The ring T42 'imay' also be applied Lto the slide Wherebylthe tearing-apartwill .be avoided o'flthe ,par'ts 'dueto the pullexerted .onl'the ring.

'Thelnozzlejfl, lLmaybeprovi'ded with an .air inlet valve. If the jdevice is 'toi'be use'd asia milk nipple'theslide 3| willlcbe .eXtendediIltoa thread bearing body. for vattachment lto the .milk .bottle.

"The invention. has I beendescr'ibed with refer- ,ence 'to a ,preferred embodiment -and I it willLbe .urfderstodd that. many variations and modifica- Ltionslthereoimay .be .resorted .to without .fdepar- ;ture.ffrom the. scope .of the invention-as defined .inthe. following claims.

70 'Whatl claim :is:

.1. Anorthodonticappliance.to-be inserted into ..the. mouth of anrinfant comprising a vbageshaped .hody ofhanelastic material a. nozzle.at.the-.mouth .enteringside .of said .bag anda conver ng wall 76 at the opposite side forming a jaw' bordering portion, a flat bridging piece attached with its one end to said converging wall enclosing a flat passage and forming a biting face and a conical extension attached to the free end of said bridging piece said extension forming a lip bordering portion.

2. A combined orthodontic and milk supplying appliance for insertion into the mouth of an infant comprising a bag shaped body of an elastic material, an outlet nozzle at the mouth entering side of said bag, a converging wall at the opposite side, a fiat portion attached to said converging wall enclosing a milk supply passage, means to connect said flat portion with a milk supply, the cross sectional area of the outlet nozzle being restricted in comparison to the cross section of said supply passage whereby a pumping and lifting action of the jaws is initiated in order to maintain the milk supply.

3. An orthodontic device to be inserted into the mouth of an infant comprising a bag-shaped body of an elastic material, a nozzle at the mouth entering side of said bag and a converging wall at the opposite end forming a jaw bordering portion, a flat bridging piece attached to said converging wall enclosing a flat passage and forming a biting face, a conical extension attached to the free end of said bridging piece said extension forming a lip bordering portion and a rubber sponge shaped in conformity with the inner bag contour removably placed into the bag.

4. An orthodontic device to be inserted into the mouth of an infant comprising a bag-shaped body of an elastic material, a nozzle at the mouth entering side of said bag and a converging wall at the opposite end forming an upper and lower jaw bordering portion, a flat bridging piece attached to said converging wall enclosing a flat passage and forming a biting face, a conical extension attached to the free end of said bridging piece said extension forming a lip bordering portion, the lower jaw bordering portion having a greater Wall thickness than the rest of the bag wall.

5. An orthodontic device to be inserted into the mouth of an infant comprising a bag-shaped body of an elastic material, a nozzle at the mouth entering side of said bag and a converging wall at the opposite end forming a jaw bordering portion, a flat bridging piece attached to said converging wall enclosing a flat passage and forming a biting face and a conical extension attached to the free end of said bridging piece said extension forming a lip bordering portion and a valve located directly in front of the inlet point of said passage into said bag.

6. An orthodontic device to be inserted into the mouth of an infant comprising a bag-shaped body of an elastic material, a nozzle at the mouth entering side of said bag and a converging wall at the opposite end forming a jaw bordering portion, a, flat bridging piece attached to said converging wall enclosing a flat passage and forming a biting face, a conical extension attached to the free end of said bridging piece said extension forming a lip bordering portion to be stripped over a bottle neck and means to fix said extension on said bottle neck.

7. An orthodontic device comprising a hasshaped body of an elastic material, a nozzle at the mouth entering side of said bag and a converging wall at the opposite end forming a jaw bordering portion, a flat bridging piece attached to said converging wall enclosing a flat passage and forming a biting face, a conical extension attached to the free end of said bridging piece said extension forming a lip bordering portion, the lip bordering portion being a separate body provided with a tubular extension and means to fixedly position said body at a desired distance from said bag.

8. An orthodontic device to be inserted into the mouth of an infant comprising a bag-shaped body of an elastic material, a nozzle at the mouth entering side of said bag and a converging wall at the opposite end forming a jaw bordering portion, a flat bridging piece attached to said con verging Wall enclosing a flat passage and forming a biting face and a conical extension attached to the free end of said bridging piece said extension forming a lip bordering portion said portion consisting of two lateral and a frontal section.

9. An orthodontic device to be inserted into the mouth of an infant comprising a bag=shaped body of an elastic material, a nozzle at the mouth entering side of said bag and a converging wall at the opposite end forming a jaw bordering portion, a flat bridging piece attached to said converging wall enclosing a flat passage and forming a biting face, a conical extension attached to the free end of said bridging piece said extension forming a lip bordering portion, a flat tubular extension being attached to said bag at the mouth protruding end, a circular slide provided with a lip bordering portion located on said extension, a tube in said tubular extension and a cylindrical open-ended mouthpiece at the outer end of said extension.

10. An orthodontic device to be inserted into the mouth of an infant comprising a bag-shaped body of an elastic material, a nozzle at the mouth entering side of said bag and a converging wall at the opposite end forming a jaw bordering portion, a flat bridging piece attached to said converging wall enclosing a flat passage and forming a biting face and a conical extension attached to the free end of said bridging piece said extension forming a lip bordering portion the thickness of the bag Walls being controlled in such a manner that a dilation of the bag is only enabled in the lateral direction.

11. An orthodontic device to be inserted into the mouth of an infant comprising a bag-shaped body of an elastic material, a nozzle at the mouth entering side of said bag and a converging wall at the opposite end forming a jaw bordering portion, a flat bridging piece attached to said converging Wall enclosing a flat passage and forming a biting face, a conical extension attached to the free end ofsaid bridging piece said extension forming lip bordering portion and a central inner partition in said bag.

12. An orthodontic device to be inserted into I the mouth of an infant comprising a, bag-shaped body of an elastic material, a nozzle at the mouth entering side of said bag and a converging wall at the opposite end forming a jaw bordering portion, a flat bridging piece attached to said converging wall enclosing a flat passage and forming a biting face, a conical extension attached to the free end of said bridging portion said extension forming a lip bordering portion, the last portion consisting of two lateral and a frontal section and being provided with wedgeshaped incisions at approximately those places where the frontal and the lateral sections meet.

ADOLF WILI-IELM MiiLLEa.

No references cited. 

